Let’s Talk About Boobies

On Friday I was part of an amazing project that combined theatre, art, sculpture, fashion, and music. I dressed three models in custom dresses, and wore a handmade creation myself. As I was dressing one of my models she said, “This is really inappropriate, but your boobs look amazing.” She was right. They did.

I’ve been blessed (and cursed) with an ample bosom since I was 13. I’ve been cat-called, bullied, and everything in between on account of my breasts. I’ve covered ’em up, shown ’em off, and pondered multiple times how to use them to get things done.

Boobs are funny though. We all like to stare at them. We can’t watch a movie nowadays without a pair making an appearance, and despite my friend thinking her comment was inappropriate, I often admire breasts – they’re what make women so damn adorable. I’m intrigued, though, about the social implications of our mammary tissue.

How many of us have been taught we can’t go outside without a bra? Millennials seems to be breaking this rule though. The Kardashians, among others, are spotted constantly – braless, side boob, scandal. We’re so wound up about covering up boobs that breastfeeding women are often chastised for showing them in public.

I read an article recently about tips for going braless and the discomfort you have to overcome to pull it off. Apparently the worse part of ditching the underwire is the awkwardness you feel about your own breasts, not to mention the warped idea of how they should look based on years of being held up, pushed together, and otherwise imprisoned.

And what about how others will perceive you? Is the picture above more sexual because I’m not wearing a bra? There are plenty of bare breasts on the internet, in catalogs, television and film. Why is a woman in a low cut dress or a woman going braless a societal taboo? Why do big boobs ooze sex but little ones don’t? And who the fuck made all these rules to begin with?

I’m not sure when or where, but one of these days I’m going braless. In addition to the benefits of NOT wearing a bra, I’ve decided it’s an interesting way to be thrust into body positivity. And I’m curious to see other people’s reactions when they realize there’s no brassiere.